Avaliação da capacitação de psicólogos para usarem o programa dos 3Es com cuidadores familiares de idosos

Abstract

There is need for qualified professionals who can offer psychoeducational programs that are effective in helping those who care for an elderly family member who has Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Based on evidence from three prior studies, it appears that the “3Cs Program” (3CP) leads to a significant reduction in caregivers’ perceptions of burden. The 3CP aims to help caregivers better: comprehend dementia and strategies that can facilitate caregiving, cope with the demands using constructive strategies, and collaborate with the care recipient to improve this relationship and to be more involved in daily activities. The 3CP is offered individually and in-person, concluded in an average of 8 to 10, one-hour sessions. However, in prior studies, the 3CP was always offered by the same person. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the replicability of the program. Accordingly, 15 Psychology practicum students participated in a theoretical and practice-based professional-development program to use the 3CP, to evaluate whether they would obtain results similar to those observed in previous studies. The professional-development program had two modules, one theoretical (34 hours) and the other practical (32 hours), that were evaluated using a quasi-experimental, pre and post-test study design. The objective of the Theoretical Module was to help the students study the theoretical foundations of 3CP and to develop their skills for assisting the caregivers (via the preparation of summaries of readings, lectures, the simulation of each session, and hypothetical tests). The objective of the Practical Module was for the students to use the 3CP, with supervision, applying the knowledge and skills learned in the Theoretical Module and adapting the 3CP to the context of each caregiver. The students (individually or in pairs) worked with 24 caregivers. To evaluate the effects of the Theoretical Module, the students completed a knowledge-based test and a program-satisfaction scale. To evaluate the impacts of the entire professional-development program on the students’ ability to use the 3CP, the caregivers completed instruments before and after the intervention program to measure: (a) their knowledge of concepts related to the intervention program, (b) use of coping strategies, as well as their perceptions of: (c) the quality of their relationship with their dependent, elderly relative, (d) burden, and (e) the elderly relative’s problem-behaviors. On the last day, they also answered questions about the impacts of the intervention program on their lives. The students’ attendance during the theoretical module was 95.5%, and they showed significant gains in their knowledge of program-related concepts (t(14) = 17.873; p < 0.001; g = 5.49). The caregivers also increased their knowledge of 3CP concepts (t(23) = 10.878; p < 0.001; d = 2.22), and their perceptions of burden were significantly reduced (t(23) = -2.201; p = 0.038; d = 0.45). Thus, the professional-development program was just as effective as in the three previous studies. In future research, it will be important to confirm these findings and verify if the results are the same when this professional-development program is offered to practicing psychologists or health professionals from other areas.